Diego's Christmas Gift of Life
by Money100
Summary: Shira has been missing for four months. It's Christmas Eve. What's Elle's gift to Diego?


**Hi guys. I'm back with another oneshot. I've decided that I would do a Christmas oneshot for you guys. After I wrote that Halloween story, I got a review that said I was messed up. And I guess it's kinda true. But blame Criminal Minds for that. Anyway, here's that next holloday oneshot I have in mind. Oh, don't own Ice Age.**

"C'mon Shira. You can do it. Push!"

A mammoth and a sabertooth were in a cave, the sabertooth had a surprise for a certain other sabertooth. And now it was time to get it ready.

…

Diego was lying at the entrance to a cave, looking out into the snowy landscape.

"Why did she run away. Was it because I made her angry?"

Diego asked his mammoth friend. Manny looked at the sabertoooth.

"Shira will be just fine."

Shira and Ellie had went off somewhere without any of the other herd members. Only Manny, Crash, and Eddie knew why and what for.

"Don't forget, Ellie's with her."

Manny had tried to comfort his friend.

"But it's Christmas Eve. You'd think she'd stay."

Many smiled, knowing why Shira left and that Diego was in for the biggest surprise yet.

…

Ellie looked at the saress in front of her. She was holding her paw really right. Getting Diego's gift ready was harder then she thought. Ellie watched Shira work harder to try and get the gift ready. Shira and herself had been planning this for a few months now, and had gone in search of a cave to get it ready in.

...

Diego looked at the stars in the nighttime sky. He saw the moon and sighed. Maybe Manny was right? But then again, what if he wasn't? Diego's mind raced with worry as he tried to focus on the moon. Soon though, Sid walked up to him.

"Hey buddy. What's up?"

The sloth asked the tiger.

"The sky."

Diego said flatly before walking off. Sid followed him.

"It's about Shira, right? Am I right?"

Sid asked. Diego spun around.

"Yes, it's about Shira. I'm worried about for. And now I'm going to sleep."

Diego walked away, leaving a vary confused Sid in the snow. Granny walked up to Sid, holding a mango in her hands.

"Hey Sidney, chew this up for me will ya?"

Granny said, shoving the fruit into her grandson's face. Sid looked at it in disgust.. then he looked around, he was Peaches and got an idea. He grabbed the fruit and ran over to the teen mammoth.

"Hey, can you chew this up for Granny?"

Peaches looked at the fruit in disgust.

"Why do I have to do it? She's your grandma."

Sid pouted.

"I don't wanna chew it. Why me?"

He started whining. The twin possums ran past them.

"Hey guys!"

The twins had already left to go find their sister.

…

After a few minutes of walking, the possums made their way to a cave. They were looking for their sister. A roar sounded out of the cave. They shrunk back in fear.

"Ellie?"

They both said at the same time. They waited for a few minutes before their sister's head came out of the cave.

"How's it going?"

Ellie had an unresponsive expression on her face.

"I think the gift is just about ready. Shira just has to do this for a few more hours. Did you tell anyone?"

The mammoth asked. The possums shook their heads.

"Thank the gods. Don't tell _anyone. _Mainly Diego. He'll freak."

"I think he's past that stage already. He's been yelling at us for months, asking where Shira was."

Crash said.

"ELLIE!"

All three of them herd an angry voice come from the cave. Ellie sighed and went back into the cave. "See you guys in a few hours. Then maybe Shira wouldn't be so angry."

The possums nodded and ran of back to the herd's cave. Then they got there, Diego was pacing. When the possums saw him, they decided to pull a prank on him to get his mind off his mate. They looked at each other, then at a nearby vine that just so happened tobe on the ground. Crash grabbed one end, while Eddie grabbed the other. Crash ran past Diego as he was walking be. They pulled the vine, tripping the saber just as he was about to take a step. The possums started laughing uncontrollably. Diego just looked at them. Crash walked up to him.

"Hey Diego. I didn't know you were going on a trip?"

"Yeah why didn't you tell up? We had our bags packed and everything."

Diego just stared at them.

"What?"

He asked. The possums looked at him and busted out laughing.

"He doesn't remember his trip. Gnarly man, gnarly."

Diego sighed and leapt at the possum brothers. After hearing their terrifying screams, he smiled. 'Nothin' like a little possum scream to wake ya up', Diego thought to himself. He watched as the possums ran off. he turned to walk away, but came face to face with Sid.

"Hi Diego!"

Sid shouted in the saber's face. Diego turned away.

"What do you want, sloth?"

Diego said in a dry tone. Sid shrugged.

"Don't know."

Sid turned to walk away, but stopped and spun around.

"Hey Diego, where's Shira?"

Diego froze. He obviously didn't know where the silver sabress was.

"I don't know. And if I did, I wouldn't tell you."

Diego walked away, the last four month for him have been kind of hard. Manny walked up to the tiger.

"I know how it feels."

Diego turned around.

"What?"

He asked,

"Shira. Isn't it what this is all about?"

Diego sighed.

"Yes. It's about Shira. I miss her it hurts."

Manny know how Diego felt. Mind you all, his mate was out there too. But he had to keep the reason Shira left, or it'll ruin the surprise.

"I'm sure she'll be back before you know it."

The mammoth said.

"C'mon, let's help Sid with the Christmas tree."

Diego chuckled. He remembered how he said that the traditional Christmas Tree would never catch on. But as it turns out, all the animals on the island ad them.

"Yeah, let's go help Sid."

Diego said as he and Manny walked off.

…

Meanwhile, in another part of the island, a mammoth and a saber where in a cave.

"Is that it? Are you done?"

The mammoth asked the saber. The saber was panting from exhaustion.

"I…I don't think so."

Ellie sighed and she continued to help her friend.

…

Back with the others, Diego couldn't help but think of the worst that could've happen. _'what if she doesn't wanna stay in the herd much longer and Ellie's helping her to escape? The two have been talking a lot more then usual right before Shira and her disappeared. I wonder…' _these thoughts are what made him run straight into a tree.

"What the-"

"C'mon Diego!"

Diego looked a head and saw Manny a few feet away. He sighed and followed him.

"Hey Manny?"

Diego asked. The mammoth turned and looked at him.

"Yeah buddy?"

"Well, do you think Shira doesn't wanna be in the herd so she ran away with Ellie's help?"

The tiger asked. Manny frowned. Why would Diego think this. But then he smiled as he remembered why he had to keep quiet. Diego looked at him.

"Manny, is there something you wanna tell me?"

The mammoth looked back at Diego.

"Nope. Except that this Christmas will be the biggest of your life and Shira's as well."

Diego just stood there.

"Say what?"

Manny's smile got even bigger. He loved playing with the saber's emotions. He could see Diego getting angry, but also saw the disappointment in his green eyes. But he know that the next day would be the biggest day for Diego's life. He smiled down at the saber and walked off to find that smelly sloth. Diego just stood there, confused as ever. What were his friends hiding from him? Why did Shira run away? Why did Ellie even go with her? Where the heck are the twins" this last one didn't matter to him as much. But it was still nice to know where those two germ factories were. Diego shook his head and walked back to the herd's cave to get some sleep. Manny watched from afar as Diego walked into the cave. He really wanted to tell Diego about his mear future, but he couldn't. That was the rule Shira and Ellie had made him promise not to do before they left. The possum twins ran up to the mammoth and looked at him.

"Is it almost ready?"

Manny asked without even looking at them.

"Yes. Shira's doing okay. We've still gotta wait a few more hours. She's not done yet, but I think we're getting there."

Eddie said. Manny nodded and looked at the sky.

"Let's hope she doesn't die from this."

Eddie nodded.

"The last time we saw her, she was doing okay. We don't know what happened in the time we've been gone."

The mammoth nodded. Then walked into the cave to get some rest for the big day tomorrow.

…

"You did it. Diego's gonna so happy."

Ellie said as she looked at Shira. The tigress nodded.

"I just hope he could get his little brain around the idea."

The two laughed and went to sleep. Tomorrow was going to be a big day.

…

"MOM! DAD!"

Shouted a teenage mammoth. Both parents woke and looked around, wondering where their 'Sweet Little Angle' was.

"MOM DAD!"

Manny and Ellie stood from their sleeping places walked outside. When they got outside, Peaches was waiting for them with a box in her trunk. She turned and saw her parents and ran over to them with the box still in her trunk.

"Mom, Dad 1santa left gift!"

The adult mammoth smiled.  
>"That I see sweetie."<p>

Ellie said as she walked over to her daughter with her mate right after her. She picked up a box that had her name on it and shook it a few times. Manny did the same. Soon, the possums and Louis ran over to them with a sleepy Sid behind them. When he saw the gifts, his eyes shot open and he started going through for gifts that had his name on them. Lastly, Diego and Granny came out on the herd's cave.

"Step aside Sidney! Granny's got some presents to open!"

She shouted as she hit her grandson over the head with her cane. Diego sighed. He wondered where his mate was. She couldn't have left the island. But then again, she was a former pirate. She know how to build ships and sail away. And if she had left four months ago, there was no finding her now. The tiger sighed again and walked back into the cave. Why celebrate if Shira was missing? He couldn't understand how the herd could celebrate with her gone. Ellie saw what was going with the saber. She walked into the cave and spotted him lying on a moss covered rock.

"Hey Diego. What's wrong?"  
>"Shira."<p>

Was is only reply. Ellie know she had to tell him.

"Well, if you think she left the island, she didn't."

Diego looked at her with shock.

"And how would you know? Its not like you've be-"

Diego cut himself off. Then he realized. That's where Ellie has been for the past four months. Ellie smiled.

"Why did you leave with you?"

He asked. Ellie's smile got bigger.

"What? Did I miss something?"

Ellie shook her head.

"Nope."

Just then, Peaches walked in the cave.

"Hey Mom. There's nothing under the tree for Uncle Diego."

Diego sighed. Just what he needed on Christmas. No gift for him. But, why was Ellie smiling? The possums ran into the cave with their gifts. They had gotten hang gliders and were thrilled beyond anybody's dreams.

"Crash, Eddie."

The possums stopped and turned to face their sister.

"Yes, oh great noble one."

Crash said. Ellie smiled at this.

"Go check to where Shira is. I'll get the others."

The possums nodded and ran off. Diego looked at her in confusion.

"What the-"

"C'mon. let's go."

Ellie said before walking off to find the others. She found them all around the Christmas tree, playing and looking at their gifts.

"Hey guys! It's about time we take Diego to see his gifts."

Half of the group had no idea what Ellie was saying, but nodded anyway. Ellie smiled and the group headed out to the cave Shira has been in for the longest. Diego was confused. As they walked, a white doughish looking person jumped onto Diego's back.

"Hmm-hmm."

He laughed. Diego sighed. He hated the 6 inch guy. He was always laughing.

"Hmm-hmm."

He laughed again. Diego looked back at the tiny person.

"Don't worry. I'll get it together."

He said. Diego turned his head back to the train in front of him.

"Hmm-hmm."

The little guy laughed again. Diego smiled. Even though he hated the little guy, he was glad he was always around.

"What do ya want Dough Boy."

"Well I just wanted to say hi."

The Pillsbury Dough Boy then laid on Diego's fur and relaxed for the ride.

…

A half hour later, Ellie stopped at a cave entrance. The possum twins ran out of the cave.

"She's ready."

They said at the same time. Ellie smiled again. Then she turned to Diego.

"C'mon Diego."

She said. The sabertoooth followed close behind. When he got in the cave, he saw Shira lying on her side with her back to the entrance on the cave, hiding whatever she was curled around.

"Shira?"

He asked. The tigress turned her head to face him.

"No. it's the pizza lady. Who the heck to you think it is?"

She said. But Diego know she wasn't angry. She was just happy to see him. She nuzzled him.

"Marry Christmas. Diego nuzzled her back.

"Marry Christmas. Shira."

Shira looked back down at her stomach. Then she looked at Diego.

"I have a gift for you."

She said, smiling.

"What is it?"

"Well, you know-"

"Hmm-hmm."

The Pillsbury Dough Boy laughed again. He got off Diego's back and ran over to Shira. Shira bent down and nuzzled the little guy. Then she looked back at Diego.

"Anyway, as I was saying. You know how I was gone for four months with Ellie, right?"

Diego nodded.

"Well, I had to get your gift ready. Don't be nouvous."

"What do you mean?"

Shira turned away and started licking something as she purred. Then a teeny tiny sound came from where her stomach should be. Then she looked back at Diego. But this time, she had something in her mouth. She placed it on the ground in front od Diego gently. Diego just stared at it in amazement. Shira had gotten eleven more furry bundles just like the first one. That's when he knew why Shira had left with Ellie and why it took four months to get ready. He smiled down at the twelve roly-poly like creatures in front of him. Two looked just like Diego. Another two looked just like Shira. The other two were gray with white markings, another two were white with orange markings in their mother's patter, another two were just the opposite, orange with white markings. The last two were pure white. No markings on them at all.

"I names the girls. You get to name the boys."

"What are the girls' names?"

Diego asked. Dhira looked at her cubs.

"Kirby, Andromeda, Ariadne, Lotus, Vitani, and Sabra."

Shira said as she pointed out the cubs that she named. Diego really loved those names. Now, he just had to come up with some good names. He looked at is sons. Six names. One of the cubs crawled on his sister and mewed at he fell off. then, that's when Diego know the names.

"Sylvester, Tabias, Logan, Aurum, Argentum, Gage."

Shira smiled. He liked those names a lot. She then rolled over on to her other side to face Diego. The cubs crawled over blindly and started nursing. The rest on the herd walking into the cave.

"congratulations Diego."

Diego smiled.

"Thanks guys."

Just then, Ellie ran up to the Pillsbury Dough Boy.

"And for you, just because you've been in the family for so long, and the fact that it's Christmas, we got you… jenes."

She held pu a pair of jeans made from an old pent. Granny walked over to them.

"Well it's about time."

The others laughed. Diego took this time to ask Shira something.

"Hey Shira. Why are there twelve cubs? I thought the most a female saber could have was six."

"Yes. But aren't there twelve days leading up to Christmas, right?"

"I guess so. But whatever the case, I'm still the happiest father around. Thank you Shira."

"Yup. You'd better be grateful. It wasn't easy, but I did it."

Diego smiled. He then looked back down at his children. He belt down to their ear level.

"Marry First Christmas little ones."

He lay down and watched is mate and children drift to sleep one by one. The rest of the herd started singing Christmas songs throughout the village while he staying with his kids, mate, and the Pillsbury Dough Boy. He sighed. And with a smile on his face, he drifted off to sleep as well.

**Okay guys** **that's it. I'm done. Hoped you guys enjoyed it. I don't really know ALL the facts of Christmas, but yeah. But if you think it screwed up with this, let me know as well. I'm not gonna be updating 'cause I've got a break coming up for Christmas. Yay. :) I would've gotten this up sooner, but my heath teacher decided to traumatize me about where babies come from. Okay, that's it. Oh, I almost forgot. I wanted to do Ice Age rap battles in a story. Tell me what you think and who should go first and what I should rate it, T or M. I was gonna do rated T, but you guys decide on that. Okay, bye and have a happy holiday. Marry Christmas peoples. XD. **


End file.
